I’m a lucky girl. As a firm believer in rational thought, this might be the only scenario in which I think that luck exists. It is with regard to the great man who has been in my life, for a long time. Through the good, the bad, and the ugly, although I did not deserve it, he has been loyal to me; and I have, in recent days, enjoyed our friendship so much because I’m no longer trying to prove myself to him because I’m no longer ashamed of who I am, of how I look, and of the fact that I didn’t feel good enough for him, for a long time. Now I am just me. And I think that he likes it.

Why do I think that he likes it?

Because he brought me TEA. 🙂

So so so so so so so so so sweet.

A few days after receiving this beautiful gift, he asked if I had experienced it. I replied, “Would you like the black and white answer or the colourful one?” (full well knowing that my usage of the Queen’s English would annoy him, hehe).

He asked for the colourful answer, but spelt it as “colorful,” clearly intending to jab me back. Ha. And this is how I replied:

Saturday afternoon around 2pm is the time that I assign for sitting and watching a film or reading a book midday without distraction from social media or internet items, if I can. This is when I enjoy mint tea, by Smith Teamaker. Today, I shall replace Smith with yours. Thus I have not enjoyed it yet, but I shall. My drinking rituals are as follows: until 9am, dandelion root tea. 9am, coffee. 2pm, coffee, if I am cold. 6pm, quadruple tall iced espresso (with banana). 11pm, martini. 1.5 to 3L of Fiji water per day.

For some reason, I paralleled the “candy cane” description of his tea gift with my “mint” tea ritual, hence my mentioning specifically of Saturday afternoon mint tea. And upon reading my answer, he did NOT suggest admitting myself into an insane asylum, rather replying with a listing of his beverage rituals. It was very nice. So here’s where the exposé exists. If you read this blog with any consistency, you know that I am a rigid, exact, and disciplined human. I eat things in their most natural of states (example dinner is USUALLY lettuce, a cup of cashews, a cup of grapes, a cup of pears, and dressing).

I read labels on everything. But I did not read the label on his tea. It looked so happy!

So I guess that I don’t really read labels on everything, given this scenario. I was simply too enamoured with the fact that HE gave it to me, and this interior of the box made me laugh!!

So I made myself a cuppa!

It felt like I was drinking crack. But for some reason, nothing was clicking. I thought it was just a very beautiful candy cane plant existing in a tea bag. What a dumbo. I was existing in la la land.

When he asked on the verdict, on whether or not I loved it, the first thing that came to mind was this: “It tasted like candy!” But then I remembered: for the few hours post consumption, I had a headache. I never get headaches. So before replying to him, I walked to the box to read the ingredients. I was horrified.

SOY. Etcetera.

Ahhhhhhhhh. Completely against my value system and rules of consumption. Why on Earth would anyone put soy into their tea? It’s excess. It’s chaotic. It’s not me. I was shocked to see how these unnatural ingredients had such a quick impact on my body (headache).

I compared the Candy Cane tea ingredient list to that of my Dandelion tea.

Yes, I see “natural flavor,” but I never said that I eat perfectly natural, just perfectly for me.

It is my GRAND hope that my friend DOES NOT read this blog post because I want to meet with him, to discuss this in detail. Some things are better done in person! Maybe he will have martinis with me. That’s what I did last night, and it was grand fun.

Can you BELIEVE this Christmas gift??? OMG!!!!!!!!!

Someone told me that I resemble Carrie Bradshaw in the next picture. I just about wanted to fly to Europe to hug her madly!! I mean, now that SJP has successfully morphed into her new amazing role as Frances on HBO’s Divorce, SOMEONE needs to play Carrie!! 😉

Here I am, with my girl Kristin. A divine martini partner… a divine gift giver… and one of my best friends forever!

So what the hell is the point of my post? It is to remind you that if you WANT to read labels and if labels MATTER to you (which they should), don’t be ashamed to be honest with the people in your life. Do things your way, honestly, and passionately. And all will be divine. And happy.

Namaste.

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8 Comments

KristinDecember 23, 2016 @ 10:17 am

Oh Nicole you are so enamored with your sick, disordered self. There is nothing glamorous about your unemployed, fruitless life. You guzzle martinis but soy in tea disturbs your perfect system? Please, child.

Where is SA when ya need himDecember 23, 2016 @ 10:22 pm

There is nothing glamour us about section 8 housing . You should go to DC and ask Drumpf for a job his fat mcds eating ass could use pudgy little helper

He gave you a box of TEA? Sounds super romantic. I got a trip to Europe! Have you ever left the United States, Nicole?

Lather.Rinse.RepeatDecember 28, 2016 @ 12:47 pm

you are a fucking psycho

MaliApril 14, 2018 @ 5:56 pm

Nicole, just met u in pitt. I’m luna’s mom.
Never thought of introducing the human to the human because our dogs are first in our lives.
If u are still downtown call or text to hv a drink.
If u are not, txt anyway. Perhaps nxt time in pitt we can sit and chat.
Your project is wonderful and i’m sharing it with my good friend who is anorexic.
Hope you will inspire her like you have so many others.
Namaste.

adminApril 14, 2018 @ 6:00 pm

Dear Mali, Your comment has just stolen my breath, as did meeting you and Luna!! We are off the radar until 5 of June when my book is published but it will be an honour and privilege to meet with you for a drink after that time. PLEASE tell me of when you are next in Pittsburgh. My email is nicole@theyogaballerina.com. So much love to you, and my heart dances to know that your friend might find a safe place at my blog. ♥️ Namaste, my new friend and fellow dog mommy extraordinaire!! ♥️♥️♥️

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My name is Nicole Marie Story. I am the creative director of The Yoga Ballerina, an editorial on yoga, peloton, politics, and my dog. I believe in human perfection and strive for that state in everything that I do. Having lived with an eating disorder for 17.5 years, I am presently writing a book on how I crushed the disorder and achieved joyful living. Gwendolyn is my fur baby, and together we create adventures which I convert into written and verbal stories through my blog and podcast. Namaste!